Dieting

Dieting Obsession

Dieting has become an obsession in our society. Many of those who are interested in dieting have a healthy BMI of 20 to 25. Instead of trying to lose weight, these individuals should be focusing on developing a healthy and active lifestyle that will allow them to maintain their weight as they age.

Losing Weight is Rarely Successful

Among those who succeed in losing weight, few manage to maintain that loss. Overall, the statistics are grim. Only 4 to 5 percent of those who use diet pills or who join a commercial program actually lose weight and maintain that weight. Typically one third of the weight lost is regained within 1 year of the end of the diet, and almost all weight lost is regained within 3 to 5 years. Many regain additional pounds in addition to the weight they lose. A cycle of gain and loss referred to as yo yo dieting can have serious negative consequences for health as well as self esteem. For example, during weight loss you may lose both fat and lean tissue, but when weight is regained it may be primarily fat leading to an increase in the percentage of body fat.

Losing weight can be Dangerous

If you decide you need to lose weight then be sure to do it safely. Each year there is a new diet or diet pill to lose weight. Extreme diets can be dangerous in older persons. Drastic reductions in food intake can result in vitamin and nutrient deficiencies. Diet pills should be the very last resort-- they can cause death as well as serious damage to your health. For example, many individuals who took the diet pill, Phen-Fen developed damage to their heart valves.